Politics Reporter

The Texas Tribune, the state’s go-to source for Texas politics and public policy news, is hiring a reporter to help lead our coverage of politics and elections.

We are seeking an aggressive and enterprising reporter who can quickly stake claim to being one of the state’s go-to sources for political news. This includes keeping a close eye on the legislative, congressional and statewide elections in Texas. It also means building sources and breaking stories about the state’s top elected officials. And it involves getting to know the campaign consultants, local party officials, grassroots volunteers, influential donors, lobbyists and activists who shape politics in this state. We’re looking for someone who will score scoops, track political trends and step back when the time is right to help readers understand Texas’ complex and chaotic political scene. When the Legislature is in session, they will be a core member of our Capitol coverage — writing about floor debates but also the fighting, jockeying and deal-making that happens behind the scenes.

This is a high-profile, high-metabolism beat that will illuminate important questions in our politics: How is polarization impacting how Texas leaders govern? How are political preferences evolving among Latino, Black and Asian Texans? How will the shifting politics of the suburbs affect how the state is governed long-term? We want a reporter who is eager to pitch stories and to travel around the state to help readers understand these issues.

This reporter will be part of a core team of reporters in a newsroom dedicated to covering Texas politics and policy. Our politics reporters are frequent guests on local and national television, radio and podcasts. They sometimes moderate debates or host Texas Tribune live interviews and events. Working with our audience team, they are occasionally called upon to help promote our journalism off-platform on social media or venues.

The salary for this position will vary depending on qualifications; the minimum is $70,000.

Responsibilities

• Write accurate, clear and well-reported stories while facing daily deadlines
• Identify and pitch stories on various subjects
• Write and update stories on the news of the day
• Work with other reporters on various assignments
• Collaborate with other departments for various assignments
• Occasional travel and work on nights, weekends and holidays

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree and 5+ years of relevant experience OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• A passion and talent for jumping on quick-turn enterprise writing
• A demonstrated ability to work quickly and under tight deadlines
• A deep commitment to and enthusiasm for both breaking news and enterprise reporting
• A clear desire and proven ability to collaborate with other colleagues across the organization
• A strong sense and devotion to journalistic ethics and libel law.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills using AP style and ability to research and fact-check information on your own using excellent writing, reviewing, and editing skills
• Spanish-language skills are preferred

We know there are great candidates who won’t check all of these boxes, and we also know you might bring important skills that we haven’t considered. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

About The Texas Tribune

Here’s what you should know about the Tribune. From day one, we’ve had disruption, innovation and risk-taking in our DNA. We’re ambitious as all get out but still have the punch-above-your-weight mentality of a scrappy start-up. We believe we can meet the demands of our audience and our own expectations for excellence without breaking the bank — or our staff. We understand not everything is a story for us — we have to make choices — but we’re always looking to expand our boundaries. We’re nonprofit because the challenging economic reality for media these days obligates us to find a different way, reliable and sustainable, to fund serious journalism. We’re nonpartisan because we live in the United States of Confirmation Bias — and we don’t need to be part of the problem. We don’t need to be yet another source of information affirming the voices and perspectives that are already in people’s heads. At the same time, nonpartisan is not non-thinking. We call B.S. when B.S. needs to be called.

All of us at the Trib believe the best way to achieve that mission is to resemble the state we cover. We’re committed to building an inclusive newsroom for people of all backgrounds and ages, and we’re taking steps to meet that commitment. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply for this role, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities. Learn more about The Texas Tribune here.

Location

This position is based in Austin. The Texas Tribune office is located in downtown Austin, steps away from the Texas Capitol building.

Benefits

This job is full time and has the following benefits:

• Medical, vision and dental insurance
• A cellphone stipend
• 20 days of paid time off each year
• Up to 16 weeks of paid family leave plus four weeks of additional job protection
• 401(k) matching
• Support for professional training and attending industry conferences
• Remote working flexibility

How to Apply

Submit your application by Feb. 9 with a resume, examples of your work and a cover letter detailing your vision for this position and how you would approach the work. We can't wait to hear from you.